April 10, 2008

Hope yet for med grads

Star: PUTRAJAYA: Medical graduates from overseas universities not recognised by the Government now have the option of transferring their credits to recognised local establishments to pursue their goal of becoming doctors.
This option is being given on a one-off basis instead of them sitting for a competency examination.
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday that this was useful for those who had failed the examination for a maximum of three times.
He said the easing of the rule was until Dec 31 this year for graduates who completed their studies by Dec 31 last year.
“The Cabinet has agreed that graduates from unrecognised institutions, especially those who have exhausted all chances of sitting for the exam, be given the chance to continue their studies via credit transfer to recognised institutions,” he told reporters yesterday.
Under the Medical Act, only medical graduates from recognised institutions are allowed to register with the Malaysian Medical Council to practise legally.
Those who graduated from unrecognised institutions are required to pass a competency examination under the Medical (Setting Examination for Provisional Registration) Regulations before they can register.
He said that under the new arrangement they would have to undergo one year of pre-clinical studies and two years’ clinical studies, adding that this period depended on courses they had taken previously.
Liow added that the students could transfer their credits to institutions like the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology.
A group of about 200 students, most of whom had sat for the examination three times, had recently appealed to him to be allowed such credit transfers, he said.
Once they are accepted for the credit transfer, the students will be absorbed into the recognised institutions, sit for examinations as usual and become housemen at hospitals.